The invention relates to both a method and an apparatus for automatically measuring aiming errors and correcting aiming values in the aiming and firing of ballistic weapons at moving targets, in particular air targets.
In firing ballistic weapons at moving targets the gun aiming point is determind by the lead angle. The lead angle calculation is based on an assumed target motion during the time of flight of the projectile until reaching the target. In consequence of this, substantially large errors are incurred in the above calculation, and the gun will show deviations, i.e. aiming errors, with respect to the correct orientation to hit the target.
Various methods and apparatus for measuring gun aiming errors are known. Reference should be made for instance to the apparatus described in the Swiss patent specification 374.912. In this specification the direction values of a target coordinate measuring device are compared with time-related gun aiming values. This apparatus is provided with means for comparing these values and for temporarily storing the gun aiming values as necessary for the comparison, and with means for recording and processing the measured differences. This known apparatus is not suitable for the automatic correction of aiming values, particularly because it cannot achieve the required accuracy nor the required measurement rate and continuity.